Portable Computer Thermal Control and Power Shield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Portable computers face challenges in balancing compactness and robustness, particularly in environments prone to contamination and moisture, where they must prevent ingress of dust and germs while effectively cooling and shielding sensitive components from electromagnetic interference.
Innovation Solution
A portable computer design featuring a sealed area with a heat pipe thermally coupled to an unsealed area containing a fan and radiator for active cooling, along with an electrically conductive foil surrounding the power source to control electromagnetic radiation, ensuring easy cleaning and reduced contamination risk.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If an active cooling system with airflow openings is used, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but susceptibility to contamination by dust, dirt, and germs increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into a sealed portion containing sensitive components and an unsealed portion housing the cooling system. This segmentation allows the cooling system to be exposed to the environment for effective heat dissipation while protecting internal components from contamination. The heat pipe extends across the boundary between sealed and unsealed areas, enabling thermal coupling without compromising the seal integrity of the internal components.
Solution Approach 2:
A heat pipe serves as a thermal intermediary, conducting heat from the sealed internal components to the unsealed cooling system. This allows efficient heat transfer without requiring direct airflow into the sealed portion, thus maintaining both cooling effectiveness and contamination protection.
2Power
If processing power is increased to improve computational capability, then processing capability is improved, but heat generation increases requiring more cooling
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling system is extracted from the sealed portion and placed in an unsealed external area. This allows the cooling components (fan, radiator) to be exposed to the environment for efficient heat dissipation, while the heat pipe extracts thermal energy from the sealed internal components, enabling high processing capability without overheating.
3Weight of moving object
If the device is made compact and lightweight, then mobility is improved, but structural strength and impact resistance decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs a two-part construction where the sealed portion is made of a lighter material optimized for portability, while the unsealed portion housing the cooling system is constructed with stronger, heavier materials to accommodate the fan and radiator. This local differentiation allows the device to remain lightweight where possible while providing necessary strength where required.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design effectively prevents contamination, maintains performance in harsh environments, and efficiently dissipates heat while minimizing electromagnetic interference, making it suitable for use in healthcare and manufacturing settings.
Implementation Method 1
The heat pipe may sealingly extend across the boundary between the sealed and unsealed areas and thermally couple with the radiator
Implementation Method 2
The electrically conductive foil may be configured to at least partially surround at least a portion of the power source, and may comprise an opening on one side of the power source for the purposes of allowing electromagnetic radiation to emanate from the power source in a controlled fashion
Data Source
AI summary
A portable computer having a partially sealed cooling system is disclosed. The portable computer contains heat transfer materials that function to remove heat from a sealed area of the portable computer to an unsealed area where the heat may be more effectively dissipated. A portable computer having a power source shield is also disclosed. The shield may be formed to partially surround a portion of the power source, and may be formed by partially enclosing a power source in a conductive material; forming an opening in the conductive material on one side of the power source; installing the power source near an edge of the electronic device; and orienting the power source so that the opening faces the edge of the electronic device.